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Picture galleries

This section regroups all picture galleries published on SciencePoles alongside some articles or news. It's currently a bit of a work in progress but more will be added with future articles.

  • The JARE-51/BELARE-SAMBA meteorite search program recovered a possible ureilite of 150-200 g (here next to a Gundam scale model of ~12 cm high). This rare type of meteorite is an achondrite (a stony meteorite from the mantle of a different planetoid), only known through similar Antarctic meteorite recovery programs.

    JARE 51 Meteorite Hunting Mission a Success

    22.02.2010

    The JARE 51 Mission to collect meteorites in the Eastern Sør Rondane Mountains was a success.  The team, which spent teh better part of four weeks in the field, found 635 meteorite fragments ranging in size from a few grams to 5 kg.  Most of them were ordinary chondrites; however some are possible iron meteorites and others ureilites, although they will need to be taken back to a lab for further anaylsis. The team is very happy with the results!

  • Geologist Dr. Kazuyuki Shiraishi, Vice Director-General in charge of Antarctic Programs at the Japanese National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR).

    Belgo-Japanese Collaboration in Antarctica

    27.01.2010

    Being in close proximity to one another in the Dronning Maud Land in Antarctica, the Japanese and the Belgians have frequently cooperated when conducting research. This picture gallery looks at some of the more recent expeditions to Antarctica, particularly this year's JARE and BELARE expeditions. For the latest updates on this year's expedition please consult the website of the Princess Elisabeth Station.

  • Bob Bindschadler

    Pine Island Glacier

    06.01.2010

    The Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica contains about 10% of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and drains much of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS).  It flows north into the Amundsen Sea, part of the Southern Ocean. Glaciologists have only been studying West Antarctica intensively for 25 to 30 years.  The Pine Island Glacier has been changing rapidly ever since it first began to be observed regularly in the 1990s.  

  • Fremantle Harbour, Australia

    Going to Antarctica to Look for Meteorites

    21.12.2009

    A research team from the 51st Japanese Antarctic Resarch Expedition (JARE 51) is heading to the eastern Sør Rondane Mountains in Antarctica to look for meteorites. This gallery shows the Japanese icebreaker Shirase leaving from Australia on its way to Antarctica and various kinds of meteorites.

  • Traditional performance in front of the Xue Long (Snow Dragon) before its departure on the 11th of October 2009 for the 26th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE).

    26th CHINARE Expedition: Departure

    09.12.2009

    On the 11th of January 2009, the 26th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 26) departed onboard the icebreaker Xue Long (Snow Dragon) for a six-month expedition to Antarctica. The expedition is to comprise a mix of logistics, construction, and scientific research within the context of PANDA, China's International Polar Year research programme. The Xue Long is expected back in its home port of Shanghai in April 2010.

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  • The JARE-51/BELARE-SAMBA meteorite search program recovered a possible ureilite of 150-200 g (here next to a Gundam scale model of ~12 cm high). This rare type of meteorite is an achondrite (a stony meteorite from the mantle of a different planetoid), only known through similar Antarctic meteorite recovery programs.
  • Another view on the possible ureilite, in the field it is very difficult to distinguish from more common types of meteorite, such as ordinary chondrites. Ureilites are the third rarest type of meteorite after aubrites and diogenites.
  • Although a rather inauspicious specimen on first looks, this fragment is an iron meteorite originating from the deep core of a former small planet. The fusion crust is not as black as found for other meteorites, while the density is a lot higher.
  • Frontal view on the Shirase, the Japanese icebreaker that transported our team from Australia to Crown Bay, Antarctica where the journey to the eastern Sør Rondane Mountains began.
  • Meteorites and the traps in which they are caught are generally widespread in the Antarctic. To get the highest recovery, snow mobiles are used. For this mission, generally a V-shaped formation was applied with 15 to 25 m between each member of the search party. In this way, the explored surface area can easily reach 15 km2 per day.
  • Two pieces of a fragmented meteorite, exposed to the air long enough to be weathered and broken.

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